Possibilities and pitfalls? Moderate drinking and alcohol abstinence at home since the COVID-19 lockdown

Nicholls, Emily; Conroy, Dominic

doi:10.1016/j.drugpo.2020.103025

Cited by 23 publications

(29 citation statements)

References 30 publications

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“…However, it may be less excessive (i.e., less pressure to consume from a social context, heavy episodic drinking culture) ( Meque et al., 2020 ). It is difficult to define whether there is more consumption overall and whether particular individuals, especially those most at risk for adverse consequences, are consuming more during the COVID-19 pandemic, based on the findings of the present and previous studies ( Callinan, Mojica-Perez et al., 2021 ; Callinan, Smit, et al., 2021 ; Nicholls & Conroy, 2021 ; Pan-American Health Organization, 2020 ; Pollard et al., 2020 ; Rolland et al., 2020 ; Vandenberg et al., 2021 ; Vanderbruggen et al., 2020 ). We lack insight into the distribution of consumption across time and people.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 93%

“…Most of the countries included in these studies adopted severe restrictions on drinking place functioning ( Vandenberg, Livingston, & O'Brien, 2021 ). A qualitative UK study highlighted some increases in home heavy drinking during the COVID-19 pandemic, and reactivation of previous heavy alcohol use behaviors, and the importance of alcohol to mediate internet social interactions ( Nicholls & Conroy, 2021 ). A quantitative study in Australia contradicts such an increase in home drinking during the pandemic ( Vandenberg et al., 2021 ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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The concerning increasing trend of alcohol beverage sales in the U.S. during the COVID-19 pandemic

Castaldelli-Maia

Segura

Martins

2021

Alcohol

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There are some concerns regarding alcohol use behaviors during the COVID-19 pandemic. The mixed findings of the first alcohol use studies during this pandemic may reflect the lack of differentiation between on-premise and home consumption. Most of the countries adopted severe restrictions on drinking place functioning. Alcohol retail store sales temporal data were used to examine alcohol sales changes in the United States (U.S.) throughout the COVID-19 pandemic as a proxy indicator of at-home drinking. Data were sourced from the Monthly Retail Trade Survey, which has provided U.S. representative estimates of sales at retail and food services stores since 1951. In the present study, we analyzed data from seasonally adjusted beer, wine, and liquor store (BWLS) sales from January 1992 to September 2020. Poisson cubic spline models were used to assess nonlinearity in such sales during the period. These models were adjusted to the consumer price index for alcoholic beverages. There was a significant increase in retail alcohol sales during the beginning of the pandemic, reaching a plateau in the third quarter of 2020. During the COVID-19 period (March 2020 to September 2020), there were 41.9 billion dollars in BWLS sales, representing an increase of 20% compared to the same period in 2019. On the other hand, food and drinking place retail sales decreased by 27% during the same period in the same survey. These results may indicate an increase in home drinking during the period, which could potentially lead to higher alcohol consumption and alcohol-related adverse health outcomes. More aggressive efforts should be made to warn the population about the risks associated with increased home alcohol consumption during the pandemic. Additionally, tracking individual alcohol consumption and releasing real-time data at different levels are needed to better assess the effects of increased alcohol consumption during the pandemic.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 93%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The concerning increasing trend of alcohol beverage sales in the U.S. during the COVID-19 pandemic

Castaldelli-Maia

Segura

Martins

2021

Alcohol

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“…Home drinking, which is arguably less bound by social routines and the night‐time economy [ 21 ], may have become more central. COVID‐19 lockdown measures may have also enabled people to change their relationships with alcohol, leading to new norms around domestic drinking [ 22 ]. Furthermore, people's drinking may be constrained in different ways in the home environment owing to the influence of familial norms and roles [ 23 ].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Beyond ‘drinking occasions’: Examining complex changes in drinking practices during COVID‐19

Caluzzi

Pennay

Laslett

et al. 2021

Drug and Alcohol Review

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Introduction ‘Drinking occasions’ are commonly used to capture quantities of alcohol consumed. Yet this standardised terminology brings with it numerous assumptions and epistemological limitations. We suggest that social changes brought on by COVID‐19 restrictions have influenced routines, patterns of time use and drinking practices, highlighting the need to re‐examine how we conceptualise drinking and ‘drinking occasions’ in alcohol research. Methods This analysis draws on data gathered from 59 qualitative interviews conducted during the second half of 2020 with Australian drinkers aged 18 and over. The interviews explored how COVID‐19 restrictions impacted daily practices and alcohol consumption patterns. Findings Participants spoke about their work, study and social routines changing, which influenced the times, timing and contexts of their drinking practices. We separated these shifts into four overarching themes: shifting of structures shaping drinking; the permeability of drinking boundaries; the extension of drinking occasions; and new contexts for drinking. Discussion and Conclusion COVID‐19 restrictions have led to shifts in the temporal boundaries and contexts that would otherwise shape people's drinking, meaning drinking practices may be less bound by structures, norms, settings and rituals. The drinking occasions concept, although a simple tool for measuring how much people drink, has not been able to capture these complex developments. This is a timely consideration given that COVID‐19 may have enduring effects on people's lifestyles, work and drinking practices. It may be useful to examine drinking as practice, rather than just an occasion, in order to better contextualise epidemiological studies going forward.

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“…The Stress and Coping hypothesis argues that those exposed to stressful situations, such as social isolation and socioeconomic insecurity, may experience mental health issues, which may contribute to increases in alcohol use as a dysfunctional coping strategy (i.e., self-medication), especially as the emergency continues for a long time (Khantzian, 1997). The tendency to self-medicate can be further exacerbated because traditional support mechanisms (i.e., social support and community services for treatment) around alcohol reduction may have become less accessible during the lockdown (Nicholls & Conroy, 2021).…”

Section: Changes In Alcohol Use During the Covid-19 Health Emergencymentioning

confidence: 99%

Patterns of Alcohol Use among Italian Young Adults before and during a COVID-19 lockdown: A Latent Class Analysis Study

Aresi¹,

Sorgente²,

Cleveland³

et al. 2021

Preprint

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Introduction: Two not mutually exclusive theories have been proposed to explain the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on alcohol use: The Availability hypothesis contends that reduced opportunities to drink due to the closure of outlets and consumption sites should lead to decreases in alcohol use, whereas the Stress and Coping hypothesis argues that those exposed to stressful situations may increase drinking. Aims: This study aimed to test such hypotheses by describing pre/during-COVID-19-pandemic changes in patterns of alcohol use among the Italian young adults (18–34 years).Methods: This study involves the secondary analysis of data collected in 2015 and 2020 from nationally representative samples of Italian young adults. Latent class analysis (LCA) was used to identify common patterns of alcohol use.Results: Five classes were found: current non-drinker class (CND), weekend risky (WRD) and weekend non-risky drinkers (WnRD), daily non-risky (DnRD) and daily risky drinkers (DRD). Results indicate gender-specific changes in the prevalence of the five drinker profiles from 2015 to 2020.Conclusions: In support to the Availability hypothesis, increases in abstaining women and men were observed, however among men there were also increases in the prevalence of patterns characterized by risky drinking and related harm (Stress and Coping hypothesis).

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Possibilities and pitfalls? Moderate drinking and alcohol abstinence at home since the COVID-19 lockdown

Cited by 23 publications

References 30 publications

The concerning increasing trend of alcohol beverage sales in the U.S. during the COVID-19 pandemic

The concerning increasing trend of alcohol beverage sales in the U.S. during the COVID-19 pandemic

Beyond ‘drinking occasions’: Examining complex changes in drinking practices during COVID‐19

Patterns of Alcohol Use among Italian Young Adults before and during a COVID-19 lockdown: A Latent Class Analysis Study

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